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Heavyweights
NR | Josh Parisian (13-4, 0-1 UFC) vs. NR | Roque Martinez (15-7-2, 0-2 UFC)
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Parisian’s road to the UFC wound up being a bit longer than expected. Scoring a spinning backfist knockout in just 91 seconds is the type of thing that normally earns a fighter a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, but in Parisian’s case, it just earned him a shot on the then-upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Parisian did not last long in that bracket, so he had to earn his way to the UFC via the regional scene with a style that either should not work as well as it does or is absolutely perfect for the funhouse mirror that is the heavyweight division. Parisian focuses on a lot of big moments, whether they are spinning strikes or big slams, leading to a lot of ugly fights until the moment that he manages to find a flashy finish. Parisian finally had his proper UFC debut in November, and it did not go well. Parker Porter was a well-tested veteran that Parisian figured to beat, but he instead mostly got controlled oin his way to a decision loss in a slog of a bout. It did not portend the best things going forward for Parisian, and he could use a rebound here.
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Guam’s Martinez has the ample frame befitting a former openweight competitor, but has the requisite amount of durability and sneaky athleticism to get by at a surprisingly high level. Thus far, that level has not included the UFC, as his Octagon tenure to date has consisted of clear and one-sided losses to Alexandr Romanov and Don'Tale Mayes. Martinez figures to be durable enough to survive, so there is a chance he could eke out an ugly mess in the same manner that Porter did, but it seems likelier that Parisian just tees off on him at will. The pick is Parisian via decision.
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